There’s a few reasons why I quit rp’ing in WoW, but I wanted to list them off because I think some of it could change (eventually).
#1) Lack of rp spaces. Everyone congregates to the same area unless you’re in a guild. I don’t really enjoy being in guilds as I usually get turned off by the drama that I’ve observed in them. I found it depressing over time having to just rp in the same areas in Stormwind. I wish player housing existed, but it is what it is.
#2) It’s boring. Everyone just stands around on ledges facing in one direction waiting to be approached by someone. Then they have these sort of canned responses and expressions. Seems like most people just want some kind of connection with another person and the erp that is associated with that. This isn’t everyone, but it’s pretty lame overall and I found it to also add to the feeling of depression I got from trying to rp.
#3) The drama. Seen too many times people not say something affected them ooc only for it to be clearly obvious that it affected them ooc. WoW rp’ers are some of the most dramatic people I’ve ever encountered online. Makes me lol and not want to do it anymore.
Now I’m anti-Alliance and mainly pvp after removing my trp addons. Bring on the heat!
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Same. The problem has been occurring in the FFXIV rp community too. Word for word same issues. I feel like online rp as a whole is dying. Player housing does NOT fix the issue of people going to the same places sadly.
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RP is about is very much a “what you put in is what you get” kind of thing. Sure people stand around and sure there is bound to be some form of drama but overall if you don’t make the effort to go passed those points then the same effort wont be sent back to you.
Hope you find your niche though.
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Step 1: NEVER RP IN STORMWIND. Its literally Rupauls drag race of false masked role players. There are so many people there that love to judge. Its like the people who sit and play the game choose to sit and play in a forum and never explore. There is a whole world made for us and those that sit in Stormwind are just waiting to be picked up like wanna-be-actors applying to be a movie star.
Step 2: DON’T EXPECT A HOME, BUT CHOOSE A LOCATION FOR YOURSELF. I chose the Ley ruins of Zarkenhar (hence my name) as my home base. Do i want a couch to sit on? Sometimes. Do i need a couch? Not really. Do i need a bed? Who has time to sleep in a game. Why did i choose it? Because I’m a mana addict and a mage. Is my home a mess? Yes, but then again so is everywhere else. Is is lore abiding? No but I’m not OCD, just here to have fun.
Step 3: CHOOSE A PROFESSION OTHER THAN HERO. Everyone is a merc for hire, but how many actually have other jobs they can play as that will have people come to them. I am a Tailor and an Enchanter. I can advertise that i offer both if i wish for people to come to me and i can engage them just as someone with something to offer. It provides starting material to engage.
Step 4: TRY TO MAKE CONVERSATION AND BE FLEXIBLE. If you talk to someone learn to be humble, don’t be one of those ‘I’m smart, I’m right and i know everything’ Be nice when engaging, as some people have social anxieties. Don’t be an English professor auto correcting either. Just be flexible and keep it simple. Don’t start conversations like you are a physics professor wanting to discuss the fundamental properties of atomic energy in a space craft. Instead talk about a cartoon you may like even or something real world. “Hey I’m a guy and I’m a Powerpuff Girls fan. Anyone else?”. If they hate, that’s their issue.
Step 5: DONT WORRY ABOUT BEING ONLINE AT A SPECIFIC TIME TO RP. Everyone has their own lives to live and when you are comfortable to play and engage in role playing some others may be too. If it is slow that’s fine. Roleplay with the voices in your head or go on an amazing solo adventure and make a journal about it. Human love social interaction but don’t always need it to thrive. Be patient and some people will come to you.
Always remember the higher your standards are the less fun you will have and the more difficult it can be.
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It is a shame to see another person quit roleplaying but I also understand wow RP isn’t for everyone, and hopefully you’ll find a different place to roleplay that better suit your needs.
On the subject of “city RP” or not wanting it, I see this pop up from time to time. A lot of people would love to leave the city and go do other stuff outside of it. I would encourage those seeking RP in the world to take initiative to bring people from within the city, and into the world if that’s where you want to be. Yesterday someone told me IC in Stormwind about a nerubian who had taken one of their items and vanished with it… now we are planning an “out in world adventure” to reclaim what was lost. It can totally be done 
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Yeah one thing that you mentioned was your professions, I wish more rp was based on your actual character and things that you did in the game. This can happen somewhat, but its also a little unfortunate and immersion breaking that the story pigeon-holes us as “the hero” or “champion”, when we know we can’t all be that person.
Nah. People say this, but I’ve gone full no-life DMing before, and it was still not rewarding. People dip on events last moment, scheduling is a pain, people don’t appreciate the hard work needed to run a RP campaign, people cause drama, etc. You can put your all into it and still come back with nothing. I know I have.
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Its not dissimilar to ttrpg’s really. As a dm you invest tons of time planning things out and when you finally get your in-person party together they make it a big joke or go way against the story.
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You can always make machinimas. It’s like doing solo RP.
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The city RP part of your post is the important thing here. Use city RP to find people to go out into the world and RP with. In the span of a month I had about 5 different world RP sessions I did with different people, all of whom I met in the city, with more sessions to come. It might take a bit of work, but there are people out there who want to RP out in the world!
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Yes! This 100% and it leads to wonderful collaboration of stories sometimes. At this point, there are a few others joining in on our adventure who will contribute in various ways with their skills. So much fun 
I feel if more people would take the initiative, we would see more world RP. I too view the city RP as a great place to seek out roleplayers as a starting point ^^
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I do feel that a good sense of humor and an ability to “embrace the madness” is somewhat necessary for the job, and it’s always best to keep the possibility of character deviation in mind when planning a campaign. You never know what might happen, and that’s part of the fun!
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Not every puddle you reach into will draw out a fish.
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The way city rp is handled in XIV is kind of why I’m taking a break from XIV rp in general. I love my FC don’t get me wrong and I love the storylines and RP I do get there but… city rp in xiv doesn’t hit the same and it doesn’t feel like an actual community when I hit up Ul’dah
WoW RP and XIV RP have a lot of the same problems because it is rping in a MMO, but I do think player housing makes it worse in XIV in some senses but better in others. Very give and take.
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This is most RP in a nutshell.
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I mostly quit RP because I genuinely can’t tell the difference between someone RPing as an obnoxious 20-something who’s just a vulgar jerk-o, and someone who is an obnoxious 20-something who’s just a vulgar jerk-o… But then I get a /whisper saying ‘chill bro its RP’ and I’m like, “Ya know, maybe it shouldn’t be”
Edit: I’m doubling down. Out of all the MG cOnTrOvErSiEs surrounding the RP on this server, it’s not that gender swapping or weird ERP that kills the game for me – it’s the players who are AR PEEing as what they hope to be like when they finally Finally FINALLY get to leave their small bumpkin town and go to a club in teh big city. It’s goofy, it’s rude, it ruins it for me.
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The general lack of self-awareness of other players is rather frustrating at times. They RP an absolute jerk-o, as you say, and then get surprised and upset when someone treats a jerk like a jerk should be treated; badly.
It’s like the consequences of their actions just never occur to them, or they think that since they’re in a fantasy world that consequences shouldn’t or don’t apply…? I haven’t yet figured this one out.
Worse than that is the “iT’s wHaT mY cHaRaCtEr WoUlD dO” people who use that poor excuse to justify ruining everyone else’s fun. FYI for people who do this: Don’t. RP is a collaboration, not free entertainment for you alone. If you’re making people uncomfortable, quit making excuses and just stop doing it.
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I stopped having this issue the moment I vowed never to RP with any female elves.
Yeah, and some of /that/ was me just venting. Yesterday kind of hit peek-“wtf?dom” and I’m still lowkey miffed, but for the vast majority of the time I like reading the open RP floating around Stormwind.
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I take it back after tonight.
Edit: I am the troll rogue that everyone was like “Oh yeah totally yeah” btw up above me
Look, guys - I have spent 3 months on this server. I capped 60-70 through BGs idling in front of the slaughtered lamb inn, and that was really about as far as I took my gaming. I read your AR PEEs and I queued for BGs, and all it has been is an open invitation to have rando players straight-up scream at me and allow slppingjimmy to KO me 9 nine NINE times as I zone back from a BG while the server lectures me about PVP flags because, frankly, ya’ll never queued for a BG before and don’t know that you come out with a 5 minute count down.
I dont want to RP with this server, its awful all the time for me.
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